Hitch-Hiker

I enjoyed reading this blog this morning about her bringing in a hitch-hiker but I recently had some that were very un-plesant!


BEDBUGS!!!

I noticed I had these bites but they didn't itch...

(taken from the internet)

 

Then I noticed after I washed our sheets there were these blood stains all over and while showing this to my hubby I looked up to a drape that hangs over our bed and that's when I saw them!!!!

 

Then we looked on the matress

(from the internet) ours wasn't this bad

Fortunate for us we were able to sleep in a spare bedroom taking precaution to not bring any clothing and washing our pillows in hot water.

 

Trust me by the time you realize you have them you have a infestation.

Adult bedbugs have flat bodies about the size of an apple seed. After feeding, however, their bodies swell and are a reddish color.

Bedbugs do not fly, but they can move quickly over floors, walls, and ceilings. Female bedbugs may lay hundreds of eggs, each of which is about the size of a speck of dust, over a lifetime.
Immature bedbugs, called nymphs, shed their skins five times before reaching maturity and require a meal of blood before each shedding. Under favorable conditions the bugs can develop fully in as little as a month and produce three or more generations per year.

Although they are a nuisance, they do not transmit diseases.

They are very easy to get if you travel or are out and about a lot and although I knew that, I had become lax in precautions and I guess this is the result.

Here is my advice..
Never bring your luggage in your bedroom. Never bring your nightgown/robe from a trip into your bedroom without washing it after a trip. If you think you may have been subjected to them remove your clothing and put them in a hot drier for 20 min. and then they will be fine.

If you get them, don't mess with it, call the professionals and have them treat your home, It is EXPENSIVE so be sure to use a company that warranties their work.